Man gets 40 years for killing mom over Avril Lavigne concert tickets

A judge sentenced a west suburban man to 40 years in prison for killing his mother after she refused to buy him concert tickets.

Robert Lyons, 39, formerly of Carol Stream, stabbed Linda Bolek, 61, to death in March of 2008.

Prosecutors say he got into an argument with his mother after she refused to call a friend to obtain skybox tickets for him to an upcoming Avril Lavigne concert. Lyons then hit Bolek with a cognac bottle, stabbed her repeatedly and poured chemicals like Tile-X, Drain-O and Rapid insecticide over her body.

He was found several hours later at a Hooters restaurant.

"Today, Mr. Lyons learned that he will spend the next 40 years of his life behind bars for the vicious murder of his mother," State's Atty. Robert Berlin said in a statement. "Linda Bolek did not deserve to die that day by the hands of her own son. She did not deserve to be beaten, stabbed and have chemicals poured over her as she lay helpless on the floor. "Mr. Lyons however, deserves this punishment. He has earned it and he deserves to spend what likely amounts to the rest of his life removed from society," Berlin said.